Drying frame



April 20, 1937. p, HOOD 2,078,078

DRYING FRAME Filed Sept. 20, 1955 MENTOR Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES rarest orrics 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved frame for drying sheets and is particularly adapted for developing and drying photographic films. The particular articles for which it is designed are The frame is designed to provide a means for readily attaching and detaching the film by fasteners operated simultaneously at one end of the film. The fastening or clamping means at 1 each end are distributed in a manner to give an even tension on the film or other sheet heid in the frame. This insures an article which is dried without buckling.

The invention also resides in certain details 5 of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and finally embodied in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front view of a frame embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a section on an enlarged scale taken on line 3--3 in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the clamping means closed. Figure 5 is a detail sectional perspective of part of the clamping device. Figure 6 is a detail section illustrating in more detail the preferred form of means for engaging the film.

The device comprises a frame having a top bar to, side bars II and I2 and a bottom bar l3. The frame supports two clamping units at least one of which is movable. The one that is fixed is shown as mounted on a rod M at the bottom of the frame but it can be attached directly t the bottom bar l3.

The rod at the top is the slidable rod, being preferably looped around the side bars as at 16.

The clamping means are secured to the bars and are duplicates in their main parts. They 0 consist of two blades I! and 18 which have looped parts or knuckles l9 to enable them to rock slightly. The blades extend practically from side to side of the frame and have inwardly extending ears 20 and 2| which are adapted 45 to grasp the sheet between them. The preferred form consists of pins 22 on the ear 2! which pass through the holes 23 in the ear 2B and these penetrate the film to hold it firmly in place and prevent slipping. The ears are 50 spaced apart laterally, usually at each end of the blades and in the center. The blades have finger pieces 24 and 25 which extend from the side opposite the ears so that when the finger pieces are squeezed together the clamping cars 55 are spread apart and when the finger pieces are released the ears snap together. This is due to springs which yieldingly hold the clamps in clamping position. The form shown comprises fiat springs 26 seated between the blades I! and is. To hold the clamps open 1' provide spring clips 2? which are fastened to one blade and snap over the other blade and have a turned end 28 which snaps over the opposed fingerpiece. This end also provides a ready means for release when it is sprung out of engage- 10 ment with the other blade by a flip of the finger.

The top red it is secured to the post 28 which is slidable in the top bar til and is influenced by a spring 29 to yieldingly hold the top bar in position. I show the post 23 as soldered to the 15 finger piece Zi' of the top bar. The top of the post 28 is screw-threaded to receive a nut 30 whereby the pressure or" the spring can be adjusted.

In using the frame the clamps are opened by squeezing the finger pieces together and they are held open by the clips El. The sheet shown in dotted outline at St is placed with its bottom edge between the clamps and the cars 28 and 21 of the bottom bar grasp the sheet when the clip 2'! is released. The clamps work in unison and grasp the sheet at the bottom corners and at the center.

The frame is then turned upside down and the frame pushed down with the nut 30 resting on a table or other support. The top edge of the sheet 3i, now at the bottom, is placed between the ears at that end and the clip 2? released. This allows the clamps to close in unison on this end of the sheet and when the frame is lifted the spring 253 which was compressed now functions to slide the bar I5 with its ears to stretch the sheet or at least hold it taut. The sheet is now held at its center line and the four corners and is firmly in place for developing and 40 drying.

Various changes can be made in the size and shape of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 claimz- 1. A drying frame comprising a rectangular frame having side bars in parallel relation, clamps at one end of the frame, said clamps being spaced to engage the corners and central part of one end of a sheet, a bar at the other end of the frame slidably arranged on the side bars, a post extending from said slidable bar through the end bar at said other end of the frame, an adjusting nut on the post, a spring between the end bar and the nut clamping devices on the slidable bar to engage the corners of the sheet, and a connection between the devices including finger pieces opposite said post whereby the clamps and post can be operated simultaneously.

2. A drying frame comprising side bars and end bars, fixed clamps at one end of the frame for engaging the ends of a sheet, a slidable bar at the other end of the frame and movable on the side bars, clamps on said movable bar for engaging a sheet, a post extending from the siidable bar and through the end bar adjacent thereto, a spring for yieldingly holding the bar in its normal position, said post extending beyond the frame to serve as a. means for pressing said slidable bar for engagement with the film.

PHILIP G. HOOD. 

